Childs play

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It is really true, the world is unravelling and going under
The Dutch and the French leagues have already been suspended, it’s very likely that there are more to come,
piling up like raked autumn leaves in the garden before scattering in the wind

They can’t do this
They can’t just take decisions and end seasons
(Well, actually they can, it’s kind of their job)
Everyone knows that you can’t just pull the toy out of a child’s hand
You need to tread lightly, give us time, treat us gently
When it comes to football, we all become children again

Decisions are being made left and right over our headsWe’re not being let into the conversationJust a bunch of bureaucratic talk that means nothing to us as fans
We’re trying to eavesdrop on the hushed conversations behind closed doors
Talking amongst each other we reassure, it’s all fine
Trying not to create chaos when really, we don’t know

We’re left in the dark because the truth is the supposed grown-ups,
the management in their suits and soft leather stadium chairs – they have no idea what to do
Unprecedented times, yes, but the lack of preparation for an event like this is still terrifying
We’re told to play on as usual, as distractions they throw us future dates for whenTeam trainingMatch days
Will resume, when we’re all kidding ourselves by thinking that things can just be picked up as usual

What about the mental and physical health of the players?
How about we put them above economic health?

On top of that, many of us are carrying questions of not when they will come back but will they come back?
Women’s football is facing the threat of extinction
Clubs can’t afford to keep running
The players often don’t have huge savings from financially prosperous careers to lean back on
As many only recently started to actually get paid for playing

It’s a lot for everyone
Another way is to stop fixing, stop pretending that we have a
“Normal”
To return to and instead, we put down the toys, the distractions
We look to ourselves, our communities around us
We slow down and surrender to what is, right nowWhich is a global crisis